Land trust celebrates success with sunset party
Litchfield.bz (09-10-18)

Litchfield Land Trust President Dave Geiger, left, thanks Chris and Heidi Johnson for making their Prospect Hill Farm available for the land trust's sunset party on Friday. BZ photos

The Litchfield Land Trust continued the celebration of its 50th anniversary as a protector of open space in town by hosting a sunset party at Prospect Hill Farm, a property owned by Chris and Heidi Johnson.

The Johnsons donated the use of their horse barn and grounds for the festivities that were held as the fourth and final event of the year marking the land trust's anniversary. Appetizers catered by the Village Restaurant, spirits from the Litchfield Distillery and the Litchfield Wine Market, and music by Switch Factory made the evening an enjoyable one for more than 175 supporters of the land trust.

Land trust President Dave Geiger credited Marie McFadden, Martha Fowler, Berta Andrulis Mette and Ron Leal for the work they did in organizing the gathering. Sponsors were the Connecticut Community Foundation, Litchfield Bancorp, Webster Bank and Union Savings Bank.

Land trust member Jeff Pratt was presented with the trust's inaugural Outstanding Land Steward Award for the effort he has put into monitoring property the trust owns or holds under easement. The land trust controls 198 properties totaling 3,600 acres, or 9.8 percent of the land in town.